carbon monoxide

American  

noun

1. a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas, CO, that burns with a pale-blue flame, produced when carbon burns with insufficient air: used chiefly in organic synthesis, metallurgy, and in the preparation of metal carbonyls, as nickel carbonyl.

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carbon monoxide British  

noun

1. a colourless odourless poisonous flammable gas formed when carbon compounds burn in insufficient air and produced by the action of steam on hot carbon: used as a reducing agent in metallurgy and as a fuel. Formula: CO

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Etymology

Origin of carbon monoxide

First recorded in 1870–75

Compare meaning

How does carbon-monoxide compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• carbon monoxide vs. carbon dioxide

Example Sentences

"I took a day off. I had a bit of carbon monoxide poisoning," she says, almost lightly.

From BBC

Det Chief Insp Ben Robinson said that although the post-mortem examinations, which were held on Sunday, were yet to establish a cause, carbon monoxide poisoning remained a primary line of inquiry.

From BBC

Humberside Police said their deaths were thought to be connected to carbon monoxide poisoning.

From BBC

The force said their deaths were "thought to be connected to carbon monoxide poisoning".

From BBC

The 2009 endangerment finding was the result of a major report by the EPA, which identified six greenhouse gases, including carbon monoxide and methane, as endangering current and future generations.

From BBC